Abstract
PURPOSE: to quantify the soft tissue dimensional changes after single-gap implant placement, during healing abutment and crown delivery phase for butt-joint and conical implant-abutment connection type. METHODS: forty patients were enrolled in the study and received randomly allocated implants with butt-joint and conical implant-abutment connection type. A standard healing abutment was placed after 6 months for two weeks. The definitive screw retained full-ceramic crowns were manufactured in a digital workflow. The soft tissue profile was digitized using IOS on following stages: pre-op, immediately, two, 7 and 14 days post-op, pre-exposure, immediately after exposure, two weeks after exposure (pre-delivery), immediately after crown delivery, 6 and 12 months after delivery. The intraoral scans were matched in the metrology software (Geomagic Control X). The mean maximum and mean average differences in mm were gathered to assess the soft tissues change. Various anamnesis parameters have been taken into account. RESULTS: the conical connection implant system exhibited more soft tissue gain and less recession, compared to the butt-joint connection type within the 12 months follow-up period. A higher loss of soft tissue was observed in the distal papilla than in the mesial one. CONCLUSIONS: the implant-abutment connection type may influence the reaction of peri-implant soft tissue within the 12 months follow-up period.